Method of and apparatus for making cups



April 15, 1947.

R. P. PlPERoUx ET AL 2,418,900 METHOD oF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING cUPsFiled May 19, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. RENE E PupERoux. mMlTm G.soussLoFF.

SMMM

ATTORNEQS.

11.1dnhun Filed May 19, 1943 R. P. PIPEROUX ETAL METHOD OF AND APPARATUSFOR MAKING CUPS INVENTORS mERoux, G. Sou ss Lol-R ATTORNEYS.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 R. P. PlPERoux ETAL Filed May 19. 1943 METHOD OF ANDAPPARATUS- FOR MAKING CUPS INVENTORS RENE P. P1PERoux. Dfw-rm G..soussLoFF. BY'

` ATTORNEYS Amin 15, 1947.

Patented pr. l5, i947 METHD F AND APPARATUS FR MNG CUPS Rene P.Piperoux, Radburn, N. J., and Dimitri Gl Soussloii, New York, N. Y.,assignor to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Dela-Application May 19, 1943, Serial No. 487,596

19 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of cups and like articles, andrelates more particularly to the manufacture of cups from plasticmaterial.

Cups and other containers of .plastic material have heretofore been madeby stamping the same from iilm, foil or sheets having a basis oi plasticmaterial by means of heat and pressure. This method of making cups andsimilar containers is known as stamp molding, and one such method isdescribed in Patent No. 2,255,117. While satisfactory cups .and othercontainers are made b-y this method, it is relatively slow, and canproduce cups wherein the thickness of the Walls differs little from the`thickness ci the bottom.

It is, accordingly, an important object of this invention to provide asimple and expeditious method and novel apparatus whereby cups and likecontainers may be produced in quantities at great speed and at low cost.

Another object of our invention is to provide a method and apparatus forproducing cups or other containers wherein the thickness of the wallsmay be substantially different from that of the bottom.

' In one aspect the present invention comprises feeding pieces oftubing, previo-usly cut to the desired size, to a notched disc whichfeeds the cut pieces in predetermined spaced relationship to a strip offilm or foil the upper surface of which has applied thereto a suitablecement, pressing said pieces on to said cement-coated'lm or foil so thatthe pieces become firmly attached thereto, and winding the strip on asuitable take-up roll. The lm or foil carrying the pieces of tubing maybe then fed to a suitable die stamping machine where the cups are cutfrom the nlm or foil. However, the strip fed to the die stamping machineand the cups may be cut from the strip without employing an intermediatetake-up device. By employing tubes of substantial wallthickness, andthin lms or foils as the strips,

cups or containers of relatively thick sides and relatively thin bottomsmay be produced.

Other objects of this invention, together with `certain details ofconstructionl and combinations of parts of our novel apparatus, willappear from the following detailed description.

In the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of ourinvention is shown. 1

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a machine for feeding pieces oftubing to a strip of lm or foil to which they are adhesively attached inpredetermined relationship,

Figure 2 is a side elevational View, on an enlarged scale, of themechanism for feeding the cut pieces of tubing to the feeding andspacing disc,

Figure 3 is a top plan View, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of themachine shown in Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a .top plan view of a portion of the machine showing thespacing disc and the means for feeding the pieces of tubing to the stripof film or foil,

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a piece of tubing,

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view showing the pieces of tubingattached to the strip of lm of foil, and

Figure 7 is a detail view showing the feeding of the strip of lm or foilhavingther pieces of tubing attached thereto to a die stamping machineto form the cups.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several viewsof the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings' for a detailed description of ourinvention, and particularly to Figure 1, the reference' numeral 8indicates a frame on which are mounted substantially all of the elementsof the apparatus. Supported from frame 8, as by means of a bracket Vil,is a hopper ll for receiving the cut pieces of tubing, hereinafterreferred to as tubes, such as is shown in Figure 5 and indicated b-yreference numeral l2, and also in Figure 6. The hopper Il is provided atits lower end with an opening of suitable size throughwhich thetubes arefed to a chute i3 which is attached to said hopper by means of bracketsM. A vibrator generally indicated by reference num-eral l5 and operatedby motor l5' is attached to the chute la by means of a metal strip I l.The vibrating motion prevents the jamming of the tubes in the opening ofthe hopper and aligns the tubes in a single layer along the bottom ofthe chute. The vibrating motion also i assists in the feeding of thetubes to a brush ES having a single line of bristles I9 which stirs upany accumulation of tubes that may occur and thus prevents the jammingof the tubes at their entry to the extension 2l of the chute I3, pushingthem into a restricted portion 22 of said chute, which is only wideenough to receive a single line y of tubes, as is shown in Figure 3. Avibrator generally indicated by reference numeral 23 and operated bymotor v24 is attached to the extension 2| by means of a metal yrodor-stript. This vibrator also assistsin the movingof the tubes 3 intorestricted portion 22 and on to an endless belt 25.

The endless belt 26 is carried on driven pulley 21 and idler pulley 28and is adapted to be run at a speed Which is slightly in excess or" theperipheral speed of a disc 29 having notches Si in the periphery thereoffor the reception of the tubes for a purpose which will hereinafter bedescribed. Both the driven pulley 2l and the disc 29 are driven by amotor 32 through a reducing gear generally indicated by referencenumeral 33. The shaft 34 of the motor is connected to and drives theinput shaft 35 of the reducing gear by means of a belt 35. The outputshaft 3l has nxed thereto sprocket wheels 38 and SS', the sprocket wheel33 being connected to and driving the sprocket wheel 39 by means of anarticulated chain 4l. The rotation 0I" sprocket wheel 39 drivesintermeshing beveled gears generally indicated by reference numeral l2which, through shaft 43, rotate the disc 29. The sprocket wheel 38drives the pulley 2 and thereby the belt 25 in a manner hereinafterdescribed.

As is indicated above, from the restricted portion 22 of chute i3 thetubes 421 are fed on to the endless belt 26 which moves at a speedslightly in excess of the peripheral speed of the notched disc 29 andare moved thereby towards said disc between guard rails 134 attached toframe 8 by brackets 45. The higher speed of the feed belt 26 helps clearaway any tubes at the lower end of chute I3 thus preventing any buildingup of the tubes along the chute, insures the entrance of a tube intoeach notch 3l of the disc 29 and rushes the tubes down the chute i3,compensating for any slight intermittent stopping of the shaker feed 2l.The pitch of the notches on the discis such that the spacing of thetubes on the strip of lm or foil 45, on which they are to be adhesivelyattached, is efected.

The strip is fed to the machine from a supply roll 'l which is rotatablysupported on a bracket 48 attached to the frame of the machine. Thesecond supply roll 49 is similarly mounted on a bracket 5| so that animmediate supply of the strip isV available when the strip on the othersupply roll gives out, the ends of the strip being cemented together toeffect the continuous operation of the machine. The strip e5 is given acoating of a suitable cement prior to its entry into the machine. Thecement is applied by means or a brush 52 to which 4cement iscontinuously supplied by means' of Ia tube 53 leading from a container56 mounted at theend of a bracket 55 fixed to the machine frame.V Thecement in the container is replenished when necessary from a tank 56having a conduit 5l provided with a valve 58. The tank 55 is alsoemployed to replenish the cement in container 59 which is provided witha level cup 5i .for supplying cement through conduit 52 to a well 63.This well i's preferably a narrow elongated depression in the surface ofa table 64 over which the disc moves the tubes ior'feeding the latter tothe cement-moistened strip. As the tubes are moved over the table 64 bythe disc, cement from the well 63 is wiped on the lower periphery ofsaid tubes. Th'e moistening of both the surface of the strip aand thelower peripheral edge of the tube has been found vto yield abetter join.The cement is maintained at'the desired level in the well 63 by thelevel cup ESI.

As the .strip 46 is, fedat a tangentpast the 4notched disc 29, thetubesare deposited thereon in predetermined spaced relationship. In order lilto start'the welding operation between the tubes and the strip, thereare provided two endless belts 55 and te which cooperate to press thestrip and tubes therebetween during what may be called the preliminarysetting period. These endless belts also act to feed the strip throughthe machine.

Belt 65 is supported on idler pulley El and driven pulley B8 which arejournaled in bearing blocks 69 and 1l, respectively, which are carriedon standards l2 and 73, respectively, mounted on frame 8. Belt 66 issupported on idler pulley T and driven pulley l5, the former beingjournaled in bearing block T9 iixed to frame 8, and the latter beingjournaled in suitable bearings in standard '13. An idler pulley 'H whichmay be vertically adjustable is provided to main tain the belt 65 taut.Additional pressure on the tubes is provided by means of a series or"rollers i3 carried at the ends of arms "i9, which arms are pivotallyattached to a bar 9i supported from a bracket 82 carried by thestandards 12 and i3. Springs 83 attached to arms 19 and to the frame 8cause pressure to be applied on the inner surface of belt 55 whichpressure is in turn transmitted to the tubes l2 on the strip M5. Afterpassing through the belts E55 and 56, the strip with the tubes cementedthereon proceeds for a distance exposed to the atmosphere in order toeffect a drying of the cement (see Figure 1) and then is wound upon areel 84 journaled in the ends of a standard 85.

The motor 32 operating through reducing gear 33 motivates the pressurebelts 65 and 66 and reel 8d, as well as the feed belt 25 and the notcheddisc 29 as indicated above. Thus, the sprocket wheel 38' on the outputshaft 3l of the reducing gear 33 is connected to and drives sprocketwheel on shaft 8'! by means of an articulated chain 88. Also mounted onshaft 87 is a sprocket wheel 89 which, through articulated chain 9i,drives sprocket wheel 92. The rotation of sprocket wheel 92 rotatespulleyi5 and also the sprocket wheel 93 which effects a rotation ofpulley 68. On shaft 9d, to which the sprocket wheel 92 is attached, isxed a sprocket wheel 95 which, through l articulated chain 95, drivessprocket wheel 91 mounted on shaft Bla. This shaft also carries a gear91h which meshes with and drives a gear 98 Xed to shaft 98e which alsocarries pulley 21, the driving pulley for belt 25.VV

On shaft 8l is also fixed sprocket wheel 99 which, through articulatedchain mi, rotates the sprocket wheel 162 on shaft |03 supported insuitable bearings on a cross piece i513 on support 85. Also mounted onshaft 103 is a sprocket wheel 55 which is connected to sprocket wheellll-5 on shaft lill by means of articulated chain |98. Reel 8d beingmounted on the shaft is rotated at a predetermined speed and takes upvthe strip i9 having the tubes l2 cemented thereto.

Means are provided for 'preventing th'e Ajamming of thetubes at theentrance of restricted portion 22 of the chute. Such means comprises ashaft i953 on which is mounted alcam III.` The rotation of the cam l I lcauses the oscillation of a finger H2 pivoted at HS which jostles thetubes into position. A spring H is employedto maintain the finger H2 inposition against the cam l l l. Shaft 199 is rotated by means of asprocket y wheel H5 which is connected by anarticulated chain HB to asprocket wheel Hl which isfxed to shaft 91a.

' The brush I8 isrotated .from shaft .|99 by means of sprocketwheel |21on brush shaft l`2l and articulated chain |`22connected to a sprocketwheel |23 on Vshaft |09. Means are also provided for catching any tubeswhich fall throughv the brush slot formed in chute I3. Such meanscomprise a chute |24 and auxiliary chute |25. A suitable receptacle maybe placed under chute |.25 to retain any tubes falling therein.A f

After the reel 84 is filled, it may be removed to a die stamping machine|26, such' as is diagrammatically shown in Figure 7, Where `the cups arestamped out. In practice, a number of such reels are fed simultaneouslyto a gang die stamping machine.

In the structure outlined above, the production of from 350 to 400 cupsper minute, depending on the size thereof, may be'obtaihed.

The tubes I2 and strip 48 forming the cups may of course be. of anysuitable material. Our invention, however, lends itself advantageouslytothe production of cups from any plastic materials such as those, forexample, having a basis of derivatives of cellulose such as celluloseesters like c llulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, cellulose propionatecellulose'acetate-propionate or cellulose acetate-butyrate, or celluloseethers, such as ethyl cellulose or benzyl cellulose, synthetic resinsand synthetic linear polyamide condensation products.

Many variations in the construction of the cups or containers may bemade. Thus 4the walls or sides may be made of one plastic, say having abasis of cellulose nitrate, and the bottom`may be made of anotherplastic, say having a basis of cellulose acetate, or vice versa. Aspreviously stated the Walls or sides may be of one thickness and thebottom may be of another.

' Obvious this invention may be applied to the production of anycylindrical or prismatic object hermetically sealed at one end .thereof,which object may be of any desired size.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is givenmerely by way of illustration and that many variations may be madetherein Without departing from the spirit of our invention. a

Having described our invention, what we de.- sire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1. Process for making cups and similar articles, which comprises sealingone end of a tube by attaching thereto a strip of material having anarea in excess of the area of said tube so that the end is completelyclosed, and removing the excess material.

2. Process for making cups and similar articles, which comprises sealingone end of a tube of plastic material by cementing said tube on to astrip of plastic material having an area in excess of the area of saidtube so that the end is completely closed, and removing the excessmaterial.

3. Process for making cups and similar articles, which comprisesattaching the bases of a plurality of tubesV in predetermined spacedrelationship to a strip of material so that the attached bases arecompletely closed, and cutting said tube and base closing material fromsaid strip to form cups.

4. Process for making cups and similararticles, which comprisescementing the bases of a plurality of tubes of plastic material inpredetermined spaced relationship to a strip of plastic material so thatthe attached bases are completely closed, and cutting said tube and baseclosing material from said strip of plastic material to form cups.

i 5. Process for making lcups and'slmilar artek ces, whichcomprisesfeeding a plurality of plastic tubes,A so that the bases thereof are ina horizontal plane, in'p'redetermined spaced relationship to acement-covered strip of plastic material, causing said tubes to adhereto said strip of material and cutting said tubes from said strip ofplasticadjacent to the periphery of the bases of said tubes to formcups.

6. Process for. making cups and similar articles, which comprisescutting tubes of predetermined size from a larger tube of plasticmaterial, arranging said tubes so that the bases thereof are in ahorizontal plane, feeding said tubes in predetermined spacedrelationship to a ce- `ment-covered strip of plastic material, causingsaid tubes to adhere to said strip of material and cutting said tubesfrom said strip of plastic adjacent tothe periphery of the bases of saidtubes to form cups. v

Y 7. Apparatus for attaching tubes to a strip of y material, comprisingmeans for supplying a strip of material and means, including a dischaving notches therein, for feeding tubes to said strip of material, theconstruction and arrangement of saidv feeding means are such that thetubes are deposited on said strip with their bases in a horizontalplane. 1

' 8. Apparatus for attaching tubes to a strip of material, comprisingmeans for supplying a strip of material and means, including a -dischaving notches therein and rotatable in a horizontal plane, for feedingtubes to said strip of material,v the construction and arrangement of'said feeding means are'such that the tubes are deposited on said stripwith their bases in a horizontal plane. Y

9. Apparatus for attaching tubes to a strip of material, comprisingmeans for supplying a strip said strip of material with' the base ofeach of said tubes in a horizontal plane, and means for applying cementto the periphery of said base.

l1. Apparatus for attaching tubes to a strip of material, comprisingmeans for supplying a strip of material, means for applying cement tosaid strip of material, means for feeding tubes to said strip, theconstruction and arrangement of said feeding means are such that thetubes are deposited on said strip with their bases in a horizontalplane, and means for applying pressure on said tubes on said strip ofmaterial.

12. Apparatus for attaching tubes to a strip of material, comprisingmeans for supplying a strip` of material, means for applying cement tosaid strip of material, means for feeding `tubes to said strip ofmaterial with the base of each of said tubes in a horizontal plane,means for applying cement to the periphery of said base, and means forapplying pressure on said tubes on said strip of material.

13. Apparatus for attaching tubes to a strip of material, comprisingmeans for supplying a strip of material, means for applying cement tosaid strip of material, means for feeding tubes to said strip, theconstruction and arrangement of said material,` comprising: means forisupplyingl. a; strip of material, means for applying cement; toV sai'dstrip of material, meanszfor feeding tub'es tol said strip of material`with they base of: each of said' tubes in 'al-horizontal: plane, meansfor' applyingcement to the periphery of; said basetand means forapplying, pressure on said tubes onisaid` strip of material, said means.compri-sing1 two cooper` atingbelts.. Y

15. Apparatus for attaching .tubesfto'astripvof material-comprising ahopper for' holdingI asup-4 plyof tubes, a chute'ffor:receivingsaidtubesI from said hopper,v meansior causingy said tubes `to assume aposition whereby the basesv thereof are in a horizontal plane, arotatable disc having notches therein for receiving said tubes, meansfor feeding tubesto saidznotohes, meansfor supr plying a strip ofmaterial tangent to said discs, and meansfor applying oementto saidstrip,V said disc being adapted-to depositY said tubes'inaspre--determinedspaced relationship` on to said. strip;

16. Apparatus for attaching tubes toarstripofmaterial, comprisingahopper for holding ay supply of tubes, acl'iuteiforr receiving.saidtubeswfrom said hopper, means for causing said tubes toV assume aposition wherebythe bases'thereof are4 in aA horizontal plane, arotatable dischaving notches therein for receiving said. tubes, means.

for feeding tubes to said. notches meansfor supplying. a stripoimaterialtangent to saiddiscs, means vfor applying cement to said. strip, saidVdisc being adapted to deposit said tubes in apredetermined spacedrelationship-on toA said strip, and means for. applying pressure. onsaidtubesk on said strip.

17. Apparatus forA attaching. tubes to astrip ofi.

materiahcomprising a hopperv for. holding. a sup,- ply of tubes; achuteforlreceivingsaid tubesfrom said hopper, means for causing saidtubes: to. assume a position .whereby the bases. thereof'are in aAhorizontal plane, a rotatable. disc having..

notches therein for receiving said tubes, means for feeding tubes tosaid notches, means for supplying a strip of material tangentto saiddiscs, means for applying cement to said strip, said disc being adaptedto deposit saidtubes in a pre.- determined spaced relationship on tosaid4 strip,

alidmeans forapplyin'g; pressure-y onl saidtubes'o; saidistripgisadimeans= comprising; two cooperating belts; f

18'.. Apparatus forv attaching tubes tol. a strip' y of` material;comprising va hopper .for holding a .v cement tof said strip;` saiddiscbeing adaptedl to' deposit'said tubes in a; predetermined spaced reYlationship on to saidl strip.v

19. Apparatus for attaching tubes to astrip of material, comprising ahopper for holding aI sup-` ply ot tubes,.a chutefor receiving Vsaidtubes from. said` hopper, meansior causing said tubes to as' sume a.positionwhereby the: basesthereof are in a. horizontal plane,l ayrotatable disc having notchesV therein for receiving said tubes, meansfor feedingltubesto said notches`- at a speed. in excess oftheperipheral speed of` said rotatable disc, means for supplying a strip`oil material tangent to said discs, means for applyingcement to said..strip?v said. discY being adaptedfto. deposit said, tubes in a'predetermined.. spaced'. relationship on. to saidlstrip, and means fortaking. up said'stri'p and having the tubes-cemented thereon.

RENE PL lPIPEROUX'.A DIMITRI G. SOUSSILOFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof recordfiny the le ofthis patent;

nnrrnn"l STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,750,943` Schroeder Mar.- 18,1 930 1,332,321 Owens -v.- Nov. 17, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS" NumberCountry' Date 1149,6992 British' Aug; 26, 1920.

